Automatic portable fire-extinguisher.



1. c. SNAC KENBERG.' AUTOMATIC PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. APPLICATION FILED DEC. l3, 1M5- 1,190,963, PatentedJul'y 11,1916.

WITNESSES I MENTOR j? 1 4 /0/?/'z 6T d/zac/re/re/r y m2 7% m A TTORNEYS JOHN C. SNACKENBERG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC PORTABLE FIRE-EXTINGUISHER. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. July 11, 1916.

Application filed December 13, 1915. Serial No. 66,498.

Improved Automatic Portable Fire-Extinguisher, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers and particularly to an automatic portable fire extinguisher, and has'for an object to provide a container and means for distributing a fire extinguishing fluid therefrom.

Another object in view is to provide'a portable extinguisher arranged to be released by heat whereby the extinguishing fluid is applied in the vicinity of the heat which sets the device in operation.

A still further object in view is to provide an extinguisher which is in the nature of a container and adapted to be hung in position at any desired point, the arrangement being such that compressed air may be used together with a fire extinguishing fluid so that when a fire starts in the vicinity of the device the heat thereof will set the device in operation automatically.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a room disclosing an embodiment of the invention applied to the ceilin of the room; Fig. 2 is a side view of an em odiment of the invention, the same being broken away for better illustrating certain of the parts; Fig. 3 is a side view of a slightly modified arrangement of valve to that disclosed in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the valve and associated parts shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates the walls of a room and the ceiling. Connected with the ceiling in any suitable manner is a hook 3.

adapted to interlock with the hook or sup porting member 4 connected to the container 5. The container 5 is made from any suitable material and if desired may be made into an upper and lower part connected by ring 6. A valve? of any desired structure is provided through which the container 5 may be filled to the desired extent with fire extinguishing fluid, as for instance, carbon tetrachlorid. Preferably the fire extin: guishing'fiuid extends only approximately to ring 6 so as to occupy about half of the space provided in the container. Air is forced in through valve 7 until an appreciable pressure has been secured, as for instance,

about fifty pounds. This air pressure acts on the fire extinguishing fluid at all times and causes the fire extinguishing fluid to be distributed as soon as the valve 8 moves away from its valve seat 9. The valve 8 is preferably arranged as a ball as the same presents a good distributing member when moved a short distance away and in fact, acts together wlth its seat as "a. spray nozzle for spraying the fire extinguishing fluid over a suitable area or in the vicinity of the-container 5. Valve 8 is normally;

held on its seat 9 by a spring 10 fixed to a supporting bracket l1 which bracket in turn is secured to the container 5. One end of spring 10 is free to move but when the de-' vice is loaded the' spring is held against movement by a fusible member 12 having an upstanding or hook portion 13, as shown in Fig. 2. When the fire in the vicinity of the container causes-the metal 12 to fuse spring 10 will move down to the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 2, whereupon ball 8 is .unseated but held close to the seat whereby the ball together with the seat will cause a spraying action. By this construction and arrangement it will be seen that the fire extinguishing fluid is sprayed in the vicinity of the fire so that the only extinguishers which are used are those that are necessary.

It is aimed to place extinguishers at any desired point where fires are liable to start. For instance, the extinguishers may be grouped rather close together in certain parts of a factory and in other parts, as for instance, an open space, the fire extinguishers may be eliminated or; placed long distances apart. .In case a fire starts at any point the extinguishers at that point will be operated innnediately and the remaining extinguishers will remain in their loaded condition.

If it should be desired to place a very high tension on the fire extinguishin fluid so as to produce a larger spray, the usible from its seat,

metal 12 may be made stronger or a fusible described, a container adapted to contain a quantity of fire extinguishing fluid and a quantity of compressed air, a discharge member provided with a valve seat and a valve member normally engaging said seat, a spring for holding said valve member against its seat, said spring when released being allowed a limited swinging movement so as to hold the valve member adjacent the seat when the valve member is open so as to turn the valve member into a spraying device, and a fusible member acting on the spring for normally preventing a movement thereof.

2. An automatic portable fire extinguisher,

comprising a tank, means for supporting the tank, a discharge member connected with the tank, said discharge member comprising greases a valve seat and a ball fitting said seat, spring engaging said ball for causing the same to engage said seat, and a fusible member engaging said spring for normally preventing the movement thereof, the free end of said spring being adapted to move a short distance when said fusible member has been fused, whereby said ball is permitted to leave its seat but is held in proximity thereto, whereby the ball and seat act as a s raying nozzle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN C. SNACKENBERG,

Witnesses:

'llnoMAs A. GALLAGHER, PATRICK H. SMITH. 

